Statement From Minister Of Labour On Arthurs Report

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Statement From Minister Of Labour On Arthurs Report

Today, Linda Jeffrey, Minister of Labour, released the following statement in response to Professor Arthurs' report on the WSIB:

"I'd like to thank Professor Harry Arthurs for his hard work and thoughtful advice as delivered in the Funding Review of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) of Ontario. I'd also like to thank the members of his advisory committee -- Maureen Farrow, Buzz Hargrove, John O'Grady, and John Tory -- as well as the workers, employers and other interested stakeholders who contributed to the review.

The Arthurs Report is a comprehensive review and contains a series of recommendations designed to put Ontario's workplace safety and insurance system on solid financial footing.

A financially stable workplace safety and insurance system is vital to the economic and social health of Ontario. We know that funding must rest on sound principles and be carefully administered if it's to be seen as fair and balanced to employers. At the same time, a viable no-fault workplace safety and insurance system in Ontario must also provide injured workers with fair compensation and support in recovering and returning to work.

We'll establish a new regulation under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, to require the WSIB's insurance fund to reach sufficiency of 60 per cent funding in 2017, 80 per cent funding in 2022 and a full 100 per cent funding by 2027.

We will also increase benefits to injured workers on partial disability by 0.5 per cent in 2013 and another 0.5 per cent in 2014.

We believe these actions will result in financial stability for the WSIB's insurance fund and as well help address the needs of injured workers through benefit indexation increases.

Our government is firmly committed to the safety and well-being of Ontario workers and to a fair and balanced insurance system for injured workers and their employers."